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Avatar: The High Ground Omnibus
The graphic novel prequel to The Way of Water—adapted from an original screenplay by James Cameron—is collected in this softcover edition along with a sketchbook and introduction.
Experience a part of the epic Avatar saga that you won’t see in the films! Originally planned as the sequel to the 2009 Academy Award–winning film Avatar, James Cameron’s screenplay for The High Ground was scripted and illustrated as three original graphic novels that are now compiled here along with an introduction and a 13-page sketchbook section that includes excerpts from the screenplay and character designs.
It’s been more than a decade since Marine Jake Sully joined the Na’vi through an avatar body and became their leader in the fight against the destructive Resources Development Administration. Since forcing them to leave the moon, Pandora, Jake and his wife Neytiri have settled down and grown their family. Now, the RDA is returning, their massive fleet of ships are packed with firepower and their militaristic Security Operations have a fierce directive to take control of Pandora. Jake has everything on the line. War has returned to the Na’vi homeworld and it will take all they have to save it. Can the RDA be stopped before they make landfall?
Scripted by award–winning author Sherri L. Smith (Flygirl), and illustrated by an amazing team of artists, Guilherme Balbi ( The Original Screenplay), Diego Galindo (Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons), Gabriel Guzmán (Mass Discovery), George Quadros (New Rat City), Agustin Padilla (Suicide Hell to Pay), and Miguel Ángel Ruiz ( Badlands).
Experience a part of the epic Avatar saga that you won’t see in the films! Originally planned as the sequel to the 2009 Academy Award–winning film Avatar, James Cameron’s screenplay for The High Ground was scripted and illustrated as three original graphic novels that are now compiled here along with an introduction and a 13-page sketchbook section that includes excerpts from the screenplay and character designs.
It’s been more than a decade since Marine Jake Sully joined the Na’vi through an avatar body and became their leader in the fight against the destructive Resources Development Administration. Since forcing them to leave the moon, Pandora, Jake and his wife Neytiri have settled down and grown their family. Now, the RDA is returning, their massive fleet of ships are packed with firepower and their militaristic Security Operations have a fierce directive to take control of Pandora. Jake has everything on the line. War has returned to the Na’vi homeworld and it will take all they have to save it. Can the RDA be stopped before they make landfall?
Scripted by award–winning author Sherri L. Smith (Flygirl), and illustrated by an amazing team of artists, Guilherme Balbi ( The Original Screenplay), Diego Galindo (Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons), Gabriel Guzmán (Mass Discovery), George Quadros (New Rat City), Agustin Padilla (Suicide Hell to Pay), and Miguel Ángel Ruiz ( Badlands).
Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 19, 2026
So much fun to read!! I'm always hungry for more Avatar content.
The art style is great, the only thing that was a little harder to get into was that I had read The Gap Year first, and that's when the physical shapes of the Sully family were really well established. In The High Ground, it took me a while to recognize all the main characters, because they were drawn differently than in The Gap Year, and also different from The Way of Water. Especially the kids! But then again, they didn't get shape until The Way of Water, so it makes sense that the artists of this comic was not 100% consistent with later depictions of the main crew.
Onto the next omnibus! (which will be Tales of Pandora).
The art style is great, the only thing that was a little harder to get into was that I had read The Gap Year first, and that's when the physical shapes of the Sully family were really well established. In The High Ground, it took me a while to recognize all the main characters, because they were drawn differently than in The Gap Year, and also different from The Way of Water. Especially the kids! But then again, they didn't get shape until The Way of Water, so it makes sense that the artists of this comic was not 100% consistent with later depictions of the main crew.
Onto the next omnibus! (which will be Tales of Pandora).
January 4, 2026
seeing a manuscript just before the events of the way of water come to life in graphic novel format was so cool and i am so grateful to have this story. more background on the kids is so nice to have, especially my baby tuk. speaking of the kids though, it was hard to keep the boys straight as they looked so alike and not at all like they do in the films. i loved seeing more of jake and neytiri after the war and spending time with their families. neteyam's character really shined in this one, which i obviously really appreciate. the part where they were on the starships was extremely hard to follow though, due to the fight just being several subsequent pages of comic-like action sequences. i just love avatar and these characters so much and need to go watch the movies yet again.
January 14, 2026
This would have been WAY COOLER, James Cameron!!!
August 6, 2026
Another strong addition to the Avatar graphic novel series. If you enjoyed/loved the films, this is an interesting story, nicely bridging the time between the first two films. Wonderfully illustrated, as I mentioned before in other reviews for this series, the world of Pandora just works for comics.
The most prominent assets for this story are also the points that make it obvious as to why this script was ultimately abandonned for the second film. It boasts an impressive scale and tons of action we know from the films. The Na’Vi taking the fight to the human invaders in space, great suits included, works great in this format. I doubt if this would have had the same effect in cinematic form, though.
Also, Edie Falco’s General Ardmore as the main villain slightly lacks the punch of Colonel Quaritch. I get why they hold on to him.
Overall, this is a story from Jake Sully’s point of view. In reflective naration, we get a nice insight into his hopes and doubts as a leader and father.
For fans of this world and mythology, surely don’t miss out on The High Ground. A piece of writing from Jim Cameron himself is always worthy of consideration.
The most prominent assets for this story are also the points that make it obvious as to why this script was ultimately abandonned for the second film. It boasts an impressive scale and tons of action we know from the films. The Na’Vi taking the fight to the human invaders in space, great suits included, works great in this format. I doubt if this would have had the same effect in cinematic form, though.
Also, Edie Falco’s General Ardmore as the main villain slightly lacks the punch of Colonel Quaritch. I get why they hold on to him.
Overall, this is a story from Jake Sully’s point of view. In reflective naration, we get a nice insight into his hopes and doubts as a leader and father.
For fans of this world and mythology, surely don’t miss out on The High Ground. A piece of writing from Jim Cameron himself is always worthy of consideration.
March 29, 2026
i love avatar and getting like a little extra glimpse into the world and characters but i was not a fan of how the art style kept changing it was confusing like sure having all these amazing artists is great but the story just felt off bcs of it idk 🫤
February 12, 2026
A fun story to bridge together the two films
February 7, 2026
this is wild but also kinda iconic not gonna lie
February 28, 2026
“If I’m gonna regret something, it better be something I did… not something I should have done”.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews